newbobooks Chapter 31 Leaving the Country and Home
Chapter 31 Leaving the Country and Home
The grand procession of the Xuan Kingdom's envoy departed from the post station and traveled along the main city streets, with pedestrians making way to see the delegation off.
The Xuan Kingdom delegation led the way, followed by the Qi Kingdom delegation surrounding Jing Chuan's carriage. The Second Prince Que Chen and the Third Prince Que Qiong rode behind on horseback, representing the royal family to see him off.
Jiang Se rode the Black Cloud Snow Steed, dressed in a red robe and bronze armor, the fish-scale armor gleaming in the sunlight, following leisurely beside a carriage.
Looking to the side, the car window was tightly closed, and Jiang Se's brows showed sadness and guilt. Que Shu hadn't spoken to him since the imperial decree was issued.
Even though they all knew that the king's final decision would still be to send Que Shu as a hostage, his biological mother was far too wise and ruthless to use this as a bargaining chip to secure a bright future for herself and her brother.
In this power struggle, the Xuan and Qi states formed an alliance. Jiang Qin's rank, which had remained unchanged for seven years, was promoted eight ranks. Jiang Se, an illegitimate son who was not qualified to inherit a title, was given a viscount title for nothing and a fifth-rank official position as a stepping stone. The only victim was Que Shu.
These past few days, rumors have been circulating in the palace. Consort Rong of Luoxia Palace, having gained an advantage, is now acting innocent, using the guise of seeing someone off to visit Iris Palace and speaking to the Imperial Consort in a sarcastic and insincere manner.
Que Shu was just a nine-year-old child who couldn't hide his emotions. He would cry when he was sad, and after a few days of fussing and realizing that crying was useless, he stopped paying attention to them.
He may understand everything, but he just can't accept it emotionally. His beloved father didn't love him as much as he thought, and his own mother and uncle would sacrifice him. Overnight, his emotions collapsed, and he felt that the world was vast and he was all alone.
The convoy moved slowly and arrived at Xuanhua Gate in the south of the city half an hour later.
The farewell procession has reached its end. The mission pauses, and both sides bid each other farewell.
Jiang Se stared at the still-closed car window, her eyes lowered sadly.
"uncle."
Jiang Se suddenly looked up, and Que Shu lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down from the carriage shaft. Jiang Se immediately dismounted and hugged the child who rushed towards her.
"Uncle..." Que Shu pouted, his eyes gradually reddening. Making a scene at this moment would damage the royal family's reputation. He suppressed a sob and asked in a hoarse voice, "Can I still go home?"
"Yes, I will," Jiang Se said, stroking Que Shu's little head. "Your uncle will definitely bring you back."
"Pinky promise." Que Shuweng raised his hand and extended his little finger in a muffled voice.
Jiang Se cooperated and hooked her arm around him, saying, "Pinky promise, a hundred years from now, no take-backs."
Seeing the heartwarming scene before him, Que Qiong leisurely rode by and said in a low voice, "With the Imperial Concubine so favored, if she gives birth to a younger brother for you in the future, I wonder if your uncle will still remember you as his nephew?"
Que Shu's spirits instantly waned, and he bit his lower lip to hold back his tears. Jiang Se felt extremely sorry for him and glared at him with a sharp look.
"I urge Your Highness to be mindful of your words, Third Prince. If such disrespectful remarks were to reach His Majesty's ears, I wonder what he would think."
Que Qiong's expression changed, thinking to himself that Jiang Se had become arrogant after gaining power and was no longer as easy to bully as before. Now that the Emperor favored them, it was indeed not advisable to confront them.
The Second Prince, Que Chen, had only come to make a formality. When he heard them exchanging barbs, he frowned slightly. He initially thought that Que Qiong was being disrespectful by bullying a child, and then he felt that Jiang Se was a petty person who had gotten her way.
Oh well, it's none of his business anyway. He's not the kind of elder brother who likes to discipline his younger brother; he'll just stand by and watch.
Jingchuan's carriage followed and stopped from behind. Que Qiong remained silent to avoid giving the Qi Kingdom delegation a reason to laugh at them.
Jingchuan poked his head out and said to Que Shu, "Brother Shu, don't be afraid. Didn't Brother Chuan return to the country safely?"
Upon hearing this, Que Shu seemed to regain his courage, forced a smile, said goodbye to Jiang Se, and got into the car.
Jiang Se gratefully bowed to Jing Chuan, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."
“Deyin…” Jingchuan looked at Jiang Se with great reluctance. After this parting, he didn’t know when they would meet again. He wanted to tell her that if she didn’t do well in Xuan Kingdom, she should come to Qi Kingdom to find him, but then he thought that his future was also uncertain if he returned to his country.
A thousand words were stuck in my throat, but when I opened my mouth, I could only utter two words: "Take care."
Jiang Se cupped her hands in greeting again, everything understood without a word.
The mission set off again, and Jiang Se stood at the city gate watching the convoy gradually disappear into the dust and smoke.
Que Shu, inside the carriage, clenched his fists and suppressed the urge to turn around and look. He raised his hand and wiped the corner of his eye with his sleeve.
Jingchuan was watching the figure shrinking through the rear window, lost in his grief, when he suddenly heard an untimely voice.
"There's a bromance going on here~"
Jingchuan didn't understand what "bromance" was, but that didn't stop him from speechlessly watching Shen Qing crawl out from under the car seat without any regard for his image.
She thought to herself, "Are all my classmates at the palace academy blind? Do they know that Shen Qingxi, who is ranked second on the list of noble ladies, is actually a bandit and a rogue?"
He couldn't help but recall last night when Shen Qingxi appeared at his bedside in the middle of the night to demand a favor. Heaven knows that what he said at the palace gate was just empty talk!
Shen Qingxi asked to hide her in the carriage he was traveling with to Qi Kingdom. Of course, he couldn't agree to that. What if he got caught and was accused of abducting the daughter of the Minister of Works?
Unexpectedly, this unreasonable woman immediately tried to rip off his clothes, saying that if he didn't agree, she would shout "molestation." He didn't want to be detained by the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and become a live-in son-in-law, so he had no choice but to endure the humiliation and agree.
When Shen Che passed by his carriage to greet him just now, he was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that this was a honey trap set by Xuan Kingdom.
The carriage swayed along, and looking at Shen Qing sitting casually opposite him, Jing Chuan asked in confusion, "Doesn't Madam Shen care about her reputation at all?"
"If you don't tell me, who will know?" Shen Qing opened her arms. "Besides, I changed into men's clothing."
Jingchuan looked her up and down a few times. The fourteen-year-old girl had not yet fully developed. With her disguise, she could easily pass for a boy. People who didn't know her would only think she was a handsome young man.
"Don't worry," Shen Qing comforted him. "You'll be safe once we reach Qi Kingdom. Then I'll confess to my brother and ask for leniency. He won't be able to do anything to you."
Hopefully, Jingchuan could only pray.
A young man, not wearing official robes, rode up to inspect the convoy and whispered something to Shen Che.
Are there two breaths in Jingchuan's carriage?
Du Zhong was a retainer of the Shen family, and Shen Shi specially sent him to protect him. He was highly skilled in martial arts, and Shen Che did not doubt his words.
Frowning in thought, Jingchuan wondered why he wanted to hide people. Were they from Xuan or Qi?
After a moment's thought, he signaled to Du Zhong not to interfere. The members of the royal family were not simple people. Their mission was to escort Jingchuan safely to Qi Kingdom. As long as it did not affect the mission, there was no need to meddle in Jingchuan's private affairs, lest it cause unnecessary complications.
The mission set off for its destination, while the Shen family mansion in Xuandu was in an uproar.
"How did you take care of the girl!"
The servants of Yilan Courtyard knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to raise their heads.